Diabetes is something that affects Hispanics more than any other ethnic group. There are reports of people that were pre-diabetic and were able to reverse their diagnosis with lifestyle changes. But, is it possible to reverse type 2 diabetes?
One of the things people have to understand is that type 2 diabetes is a progressive illness that comes from years of elevated blood glucose levels. Typically, when people are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, they’ve had high glucose for 5 to 10 years, which means that they have lost the capability of making insulin naturally for a long time.
Most people that develop type 2 diabetes have poor lifestyle habits, like not eating healthy and not getting enough exercise. The best thing that you can do if diabetes runs in your family is delay the onset of pre-diabetes. Losing weight and reaching your goal weight can delay or prevent your chances of being diabetic.
For many people, it’s a wake-up call when they are diagnosed pre-diabetic. Many of them get help from a nutritionist or their doctor and try to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Losing even just a few pounds when their glucose begins to rise can dramatically improve your blood sugar levels, as well as your cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure–and most importantly, you feel better.
The best thing you could do for your health is exercise 90 minutes a day, 6 days a week, and eat healthily. Many studies have shown that losing 5-7% of your weight can lower your blood sugar and improve your overall health, as long as you keep the weight off.
What if You Already Have Diabetes?
While it may be impossible to reverse your diabetic diagnosis, it’s important to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Regular exercise is very important in helping you manage diabetes. According to the Diabetes Association, when you are active, your cells become more sensitive to insulin, so they work more efficiently. Your cells remove glucose from the blood, using a mechanism totally separate from insulin during exercise. Exercising consistently can lower your blood glucose and improve you AIC, which measures how well you are managing your blood sugar and when you lower this, you may be able to take fewer diabetes medications or less insulin.
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